Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Meatballs

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 50

Servings: servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Heather Nicholds

Satisfy your Italian cravings with this vegan spaghetti recipe by making meatballs out of red kidney beans fat-free, full of fiber and lower in calories than ground meat. Use these meatballs in a variety of dishes for a simple way to turn old favorites into healthy vegan recipes.

Ingredients

Meatballs

1 1/2 cup kidney beans, (cooked or canned)
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp tomato juice, from the can of tomatoes
1 Tbsp whole grain flour, or as needed

Sauce

1 tsp olive oil
2 clove fresh garlic, minced
28 oz tomato, canned, whole or diced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp dried basil
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp unrefined sugar
200 grams whole grain pasta, (rice, corn, quinoa or other gluten-free pasta if needed)

Instructions

To make the meatballs, lightly mash the cooked kidney beans, season and add tomato juice and flour as needed to bind them together. Form into small balls, lay on a baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until they are browned.
To make the sauce, heat a sauce pan to medium and saute the garlic in olive oil. Add the tomatoes and season, then leave to simmer while the 'meatballs' cook.
Cook the noodles by putting them in a large pot of water with a pinch of salt and bringing it to a boil. Allow them to cook for about 10 minutes, or until they get to the texture you like.
Mix a small amount of tomato sauce into the noodles, and serve with tomato sauce spooned over the noodles, topped with 3-4 'meatballs'.

Nutrition